Netanyahu: Police Chief Recommending Indictment Is ‘Delusional’

The general commissioner of Israeli police and multiple Israeli police chiefs unanimously agreed Wednesday night to recommend indicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges, alleging that there is strong evidence in support of accusations that Netanyahu and his wife accepted bribes in the form of large gifts.

On Thursday, Netanyahu hit back, taking to Facebook and calling into question the credibility of Police Commissioner Inspector General Roni Alsheikh, who one day prior said that “powerful figures” had hired private investigators to surveil the detectives investigating Netanyahu, according to NBC News.

The prime minister stated that the chief’s comments reveal, “A great shadow was imposed tonight on police investigations in the matter of Prime Minister Netanyahu.”

“Any decent person will ask himself how people who say such delusional things about the prime minister can objectively investigate him,” Netanyahu argued.

Netanyahu is facing two separate but related investigations into accusations of corruption. As the Times of Israel explains:

The two main corruption scandals involving Netanyahu both concern allegations of illicit dealings with rich and powerful men. In the first, called “Case 1000,” Netanyahu is accused of receiving expensive gifts from billionaires and then taking action on their behalf. In the second, called “Case 2000,” he is accused of striking an illicit deal with a newspaper publisher.

According to Israeli media outlets, the police chiefs are supporting an indictment in Case 1000, but not Case 2000. At the time of this article’s publication, Israeli authorities have thus far refused to confirm this publicly.

“The State of Israel is a state of law,” Netanyahu responded, reports VICE News. “The law says that the one to determine whether there is evidence against the prime minister is the attorney general and he consults with the state attorney. The state prosecutor recently said in the Knesset that about half of the police’s recommendations end with nothing.”

Netanyahu had previously urged supporters not to worry, stating on Wednesday that he had faith in the legal system and the authorities entrusted to uphold the rule of law.

“So don’t worry,” Netanyahu reassured Israelis on Wednesday. “There will be recommendations, there will be signs saying, ‘Bibi is guilty until proven innocent’… But I am sure that at the end of the day the competent legal bodies will come to the same conclusion, to the simple truth: There is nothing.”